A man uses his iPhone in Moscow. (July 18, 2008) Photo Credit: AP

But many brands seem to be falling short, with 77 percent of them failing to make a good impression with new email subscribers, according to a study by Minneapolis-based digital marketing firm Ciceron.

That's why brands need to take a closer look at how they're interacting with their email subscribers in those first few critical...

But many brands seem to be falling short, with 77 percent of them failing to make a good impression with new email subscribers, according to a study by Minneapolis-based digital marketing firm Ciceron.

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That's why brands need to take a closer look at how they're interacting with their email subscribers in those first few critical hours of opting in.

"If somebody raises their hand and says, 'I want to get emails from you,' then you better impress them right away or they're going to start ignoring your emails," says Julie Verhulst, director of client services at Ciceron. Its First Impressions Email Marketing Study was released in March 2013 and updated this March.

The first study showed 83 percent of brands failed to make a good impression, and the number fell to 77 percent this year, Verhulst says, noting the drop could be, in part, the result of some of the original firms' eliminating email programs.

One of the biggest shortfalls -- made by 37 percent of the brands -- was failing to send any messages within the first 48 hours of the email recipient's opting in, according to Verhulst, the study's lead researcher.

Set expectations: Just be sure with whatever email you do send that you set clear expectations for the subscriber, says Ellen Williams, development director for New York and Connecticut for online marketing firm Constant Contact.